The population of the region is 729,044, (projected from

2010 population and housing consensus) its capital is

Wa. The total number of districts has been increased

from 9 to 11. The two new districts -Daffiama Bussie

and Nandom districts—became operational in January

2013. The region has 65 Sub-districts. . Health infra-

structure includes 9 hospitals, 65 health centres (5 of

which have been upgraded to Polyclinic status),166

CHPS compounds and 9 other health facilities. The

region has six health training institutions.

Human resource for health is limited especially critical

staff like doctors midwives ,

laboratory staff and clinical

nurses. The region is con-

fronted with high malaria

disease burden and sometimes

experiences outbreak of com-

municable diseases such as

CSM, anthrax, cholera and

yellow fever.

The strength of the Regional

Health Directorate lies in the

open door management style

adopted by the Regional Di-

rector of Health Services

Regional Profile

Vital Regional statistics on Human Resource

Volume 1

Health Bulletin

Health Tips

• Exercise regularly

• Eat balanced diet • Drink at least five (5) sachets of water daily

• Avoid alcoholism

Regional Profile 1

Vital Regional Statics on HR

1

MDG4 - EPI 2

MDG4 - <5 Mor-talities

2

MDG 5– Maternal Health Services

3

MDG5—Maternal Deaths

3

MDG 5—Causes of Mat deaths

3

Inside this issue:

Upper West Regional Health Directorate

April 2013

MDG 6 - Malaria < 5 Mortality

4

MDG6 - TB Suc-cess rate

4

Dr A. Nang-beifubah

(RDHS UWR)

Category 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

No. of Ghanaian Doctors 13 13 15 14 12

No. Of Cuban Doctors 16 16 17

Doctor: Pop Ratio (Gh only) 1:50,756 1:51,619 1:46,807 1:51,104 1:60,753

Doctor: Pop Ratio (Gh + Cuban) 1:22,649 1:23,848 1:25,139

No. of Nurses 787 934 966 1,333 1,250

Nurse: Pop Ratio 1:838 !:1718 1:726 1:537 1:583

No of Medical Assistants 16 15 20 23 26

Number of Midwives 121 153 158 147 135

Midwives: rWIFA Rtio 1:1309 1:1053 1:737 1:1153 1:1280 MDG6 - PMTCT 4

Editorial Team

1) Dr Alexis Nang-

beifubah (Editor-

in – Chief)

2) Dr Kofi Issah

3) Mr Owusu Ansah

4) Mr Edward Kaba

5) Ms Rita Kwaku

6) Mr Nani Tengey

The RHD has embarked on a

multi-prong strategy to ensure

the achievement of MDG5.

The RHA is bent on reversing

the declining trend. To expand

coverage to deprived areas of

the region CHOs have been

deployed to 166 functioning

CHPS compounds in the re-

gion.

Routine immunization at static

points as well as outreach

services have been strength-

ened. In order to conquer the

hard terrain and penetrate into

the remotest areas, the RHD

has supported the districts

with motorbikes and all CHOs

and CHNs trained to hit the road without fear.

Surely the impact of these intervention shall result in improved

coverage.

Upper West Region on the path to achieving MDG4 by strengthening EPI activities

The Upper West Regional Health

Directorate has trained more mid-

wives to use the partograph. This

has contributed significantly to

reduction of fresh still births in

the region.

All hospitals in the region have

also introduced the baby friendly

approach and the kangaroo

mother care strategy to help re-

duce neonatal deaths and infant

deaths

Dr K. Issah (DDPH) and Mr T.

Owusu Ansah (DDCC) vow to

jointly ensure the region attains

War on Neonatal, Infant, and Under 5 deaths in Upper West Region (MDG4): DDPH and DDCC in the fore front.

Safe motherhood training in pictures

Page 2 Health Bulletin

Neonatal, Infant & <5 deaths trend in the UWR

Mr T. Owusu-Ansah

(DDCC)

Dr Kofi Issah

(DDPH)

19,000

20,000

21,000

22,000

23,000

24,000

25,000

2009 2010 2011 2012

Penta 3 Measles

Penta3 and Measles coverage 2009 t0 2012

0

100

200

300

400

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

# of Neonatal deaths # of Instl infants deaths

.Safe motherhood initiatives

are top priorities for the Upper

West Regional Health Direc-

torate. Special interventions to

improve coverage include:

1) Mother to Mother Sup-

port Groups

2) ANC Classes

3) Community register for

pregnant women

4) ANC at outreach points

Hemorrhage, Sepsis Se-

vere Anemia and Renal

failure accounts for over

60% of maternal deaths in

the Upper West Region.

The RHD is resolved that

no matter what are the

causes, maternal deaths

must come down in the

Upper West Region.

UWR strengthen Maternal Health services Towards Achieving MDG 5

The Upper West Region con-

tinues to grapple with unac-

ceptably high maternal deaths.

The major strategies adopted

include, community ambulance

services, telephone registry,

mandatory maternal deaths au-

dit and implementation of rec-

ommendations.

Though the figures are still high

the trend has started to show a

continues decline indicating we

are beginning to make progress

Health Workers Ayakoooo!

Upper West on Cause to Achieving Reduction in maternal deaths (MDG 5), the graph speaks for itself

What are the major causes of maternal death in the Upper West Region

Page 3 Volume 1

Child birth must bring

joy and not sorrow. It is

our collective responsi-

bility to ensure reduc-

tion in maternal deaths.

Join forces with the

health sector to achieve

the MDG 5.

316

212 202182

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

2009 2010 2011 2012

UWR Maternal Mortality Ration 2009—2012

Health Tips

Take lessons in regenera-

tive health and nutrition.

It is a sure way of getting

information on how to

protect yourself from life-

style diseases such as hy-

pertension and diabetes

Dr Fofie (Specialists

Gynaecologists). De-

serves commendation

for his service to UWR

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

ANC 4+ visits (4 Skill DEL

MDG 5 –ANC 4+ Visit & Skilled Delivery 2006 –2011

The region attained !00% maternal death audit from 2009 –2012

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

F?P Acceptors (Absolute Nos) 2006 — 2012

TB Treatment Success (MDG 6) are we making progress ?

TB Strategies adopted : DOTS imple-

mented in all districts in the region.

Continues case search .

Implementation of SOPs for case de-

tection with particular focus on facility

-based case detection, Provision of

drugs, logistics and sensitization to

increase awareness about tuberculosis.

Kwame Mintah Yeboah

Regional TB Co-ord

to fight the disease.

These include, promo-

tion of the use of insec-

ticide treated nets (with

over 374,948 ITNs

hanged during the hang-

up campaign) distribu-

tion of SP, and use of

ACTs in all health facili-

ties.

Malaria for many years

has been a major cause of

morbidity and mortality

not only in the Upper

West Region but Ghana

as a whole.

In order to intensify the

fight against malaria, the

RHD implemented all

recommended strategies

The fight has been taken to a

higher level in 2012 when a

Team from AngloGold Ashanti

started the Indoor Residual

Spraying (IRS) in the region.

This means taking the fight to all

the breading sports of the deadly

mosquito.

The IRS campaign is a special

initiative sponsored by the

NMCP

MDG 6: The fight against malaria intensified in UWR

Mosquito, adult feeding

on the skin

3.0

2.2 2.0

1.1 1.2

0.6

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Under 5 Malaria case fatality 2007 to 2012

74%

69%

76%

69%

75%

64%

66%

68%

70%

72%

74%

76%

78%

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Trend of TB Treatment Success rate 2007 –2011

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Trend of Pregnant women receiving IPT2

31.6%25.4% 27.0%

62.9%

26.7%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

% of HIV+ Mothers put on ARV 2008 – 2012

PMTCT services are pro-

vided in all Hospitals as

well as some selected

Health Centres in the re-

gion.

Logistics Support is pro-

vided by the NACP.

The PMTCT (HIV/AIDS)

as whole is beginning to

experience logistic support

problems eroding gains

made in the past as shown

in the graph.

PMTCT Service - Priority intervention for the RHD

Data Source DHIMS 2 Data Management Software

ERROR: syntaxerrorOFFENDING COMMAND: --nostringval--

STACK:

/Title ()/Subject (D:20130424142509+00’00’)/ModDate ()/Keywords (PDFCreator Version 0.9.5)/Creator (D:20130424142509+00’00’)/CreationDate (HIU)/Author -mark-